11.8.09

DETAILS ABOUT QUEEN'S GIFTS TO SECURITY KEPT SECRET

FOR MANY YEARS, THE QUEEN HAS REWARDED THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO GUARD HER SANDRINGHAM ESTATE WITH MINIATURE BOTTLES OF WHISKEY. AN INNOCENT ENOUGH GESTURE, ONE WOULD THINK, YET IT SEEMS THAT THE NUMBER OF GIFTS SHE BESTOWS IS NOT ONLY A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET BUT A MATTER OF GRAVE NATIONAL SECURITY. NORFOLK POLICE BELIEVE THAT TO DIVULGE THE INFORMATION OF HOW MANY OF ITS OFFICERS RECEIVE PRESENTS WOULD ALLOW 'DOMESTIC OR FOREIGN TERRORISTS TO ESTABLISH THE LEVEL OF POLICE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO ROYAL RESIDENCES'. IT WAS WILLING, HOWEVER, TO REVEAL THAT TWO OFFICERS HAD EACH RECEIVED CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS WORTH £13 FROM THE QUEEN, BUT ON THE ISSUE OF THE WHISKEY THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN SEALED TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY. A WRITTEN STATEMENT SAID: 'ANY DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION THAT MIGHT ALLOW EXTREMISTS TO GAUGE THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION AFFORDED TO SANDRINGHAM WOULD PROVIDE ANYONE INTENT ON COMMITTING ACTS OF TERRORISM WITH VITAL INTELLIGENCE AS TO THE LEVEL OF POLICE RESISTANCE THAT THEY MAY ENCOUNTER.' IT ADDED: 'THIS WOULD SEVERELY REDUCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICE OPERATIONS THAT SEEK TO SAFEGUARD MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD AND WOULD UNDERMINE THE SECURITY OF ROYAL RESIDENCES.'OF COURSE CYNICS MAY BE TEMPTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE QUEEN'S SECURITY HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN SO DILIGENT IN THEIR PROTECTION OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. EVER SINCE MICHAEL FAGAN BROKE INTO BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN MARCH 1982, THE QUEEN AWOKE TO FIND HIM SITTING ON HER BED, SECURITY BREACHES HAVE OCCURRED WITH ALARMING FREQUENCY. IN 1992, KEVIN MCMAHON WAS ARRESTED IN THE PALACE GROUNDS TWICE IN ONE WEEK. THE FIRST TIME FORCING THE DIVERSION OF A HELICOPTER CARRYING THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH. THE SAME YEAR, AN INTRUDER HELPED HIMSELF TO A GLASS OF WHISKEY IN PRINCESS ALEXANDRA'S PRIVATE APARTMENT IN ST JAMES PALACE. TWO YEARS LATER, SECURITY AT ST JAMES'S WAS DESCRIBED AS 'ABYSMAL' FOLLOWING A BREAK-IN AT PRINCE CHARLES APARTMENT. IN 2002, A DRUNKEN REVELER ENTERED ST JAMES'S LATE AT NIGHT AND KNOCKED ON PRINCESS ANNE'S DOOR, ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS TO VICTORIA STATION. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 'COMEDY TERRORIST' AARON BARSCHAK GATECRASHED PRINCE WILLIAM'S 21st BIRTHDAY PARTY AT WINDSOR, WEARING A DRESS, BEARD AND SUNGLASSES. HE CLIMBED UP TO THE STAGE AND KISSED THE PRINCE ON BOTH CHEEKS. THE EMBARRASSING INTRUSIONS HAVE LEFT LOCAL POLICE ON HIGH ALERT TO PREVENT FURTHER INCIDENTS, HENCE THE REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE DETAILS OF THE WHISKEY DISTRIBUTION.

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